A vociferous protest against big dams reaches its crucial stage when union environment minister Jairam Ramesh was greeted with protest as he was arriving in Guwahti for a public hearing on the NHPC owned big dam in Arunachal Pradesh.
As the Union minister started the public hearing at Machkhowa, ITA, hundreds of local organizations and political parties approached him to register stiff protest again the on going construction of the big dam in Gerukamukh by NHPC in the name of the lower Subansiri hydel project. Citing the expert panel report, these parties and organisations have told the minister that the big dam might spell an ecological disaster for the people in down stream areas.
PermalinkSubmitted by Hayang on Wed, 29/09/2010 - 05:16
--Lame Excuse by NHPC CMD S.K. Garg--
Despite strident protests in Assam with environmental concerns over construction of mega dams, National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) Chairman-cum-Managing Director S.K. Garg says that the project builders plan to commission three units in March 2012 and the remaining five units by December 2012. This is because Rs 4000 crore of the Rs 9000 crore project has been utilized. That means 40% of the expenses have been made. But is this a reason enough to sacrifice environment and the population of downstream areas which cannot be compensated even if the Indian central government bring all the riches in the world. When land is lost, existence is lost. When existence is lost, the very right to our natural habitat is lost.
In the devastating floods caused by the Tehri dam in Uttarakhand, the central government has promised a package of Rs 500 crore to the state government. That means every year there will be floods, the Indian government will dole out Rs 500 crore. So, within 8 years, Rs 4000 crore will have to be shelved out. If this is the economics involved, Rs 4000 crore is nothing for a rich country like India where many politicians and ministers have pocketed hundreds and thousands of crores. So, the justification of Rs 4000 crore by S.K. Garg sounds to be a lame excuse to keep the industrial corporations who fund the elections happy and satisfied.
The Central Bureau of Investigation on Thursday filed a charge sheet against sacked Assam Education Minister Ripun Bora, arrested along with two others for allegedly offering a bribe of Rs 17 lakh to an agency official to "negotiate" the outcome of a murder case.According to information, the charge sheet was filed against Bora, journalist Mukul Pathak and businessman Ramesh Maheswari before the special judge under section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and section 12 of Prevention of Corruption Act.The sacked minister was arrested when he was allegedly trying to bribe a CBI official, probing the murder of student leader and his political rival Daniel Toppo.He was arrested on June three...
Army have averted a major explosion at Diju area in Lakhimpur when they recovered two powerful bombs on Thursday. According to information, acting on a tip off, army launched an operation in the area and recovered two improvised explosive devices from a hole at No 2 Dijupathar area. Immediately after it, army handed over these two IEDs to the police at the Lakhimpur headquarters. Police has already booked a village defence party activist for interrogation in this connection. These two IEDs weighing 8 kilogram would have been caused a powerful blast. It is suspected that rebels kept these IEDs for striking on the Independence Day.
The Assam Public Works on Thursday urges both the government to take up stringent measures to deal with the spreading Jehadi activities in Assam. Addressing a press conference in the city, APW leaders Abhijit Sarma and Bitu Talikdar say if the government further fails to act accordingly, the indigenous people will be forced to take up arms against these Jehadis.APW managing director Abhijit Sarma, Secretary general Bitu Talukdar have alleged that the government has been remaining silent on the stepped up activities of these forces. They further said these outfits have sneaked into the state from Pakistan and Bangladesh taking advantage of the government silence. According to them, the...
For the first time ULFA is planning a fatal strike with clamour mine in Assam to disrupt the Independence Day celebrations falling on August 15. The banned insurgent outfit has already rushed some of its cadres to the state from Bangladesh and all of these cadres were undergoing training in the neighbouring country.This startling revelations have been made by an arrested ULFA cadre before police after he was arrested from Boko in Kamrup district on Thursday morning.According to information, police recovered some fatal materials used in blast including a radio receiver circuit from the ULFA cadre but failed to get the clamour mine. Identified as Anup, he arrived in the state on July 24 along...
A new branch of the All-India Anglo-Indian Association, representing the States of the North-East with its headquarters at Guwahati, was inaugurated by Barry O’Brien, Anglo-Indian MLA, West Bengal and regional representative of the governing body of the All-India Anglo-Indian Association, New Delhi.According to information, at a well organised meeting held in Guwahati on July 13, a new ad hoc executive committee was constituted by him with Milton Queah as president, Donald Jobe, Michael Brooks and Winston Gomez as vice-presidents and Valentine Brooks and Jennifer Brooks as secretary and treasurer respectively.The other committee members are Louis Pereira, Phillip Thipthrope, Dennis...
The Indira Gandhi National Open University registered 78.2% pass percentage in the ‘Certificate in Primary Education Programme’ of the university in December 2007 examination the results of which were recently declared.According to information, the teacher training package, which is specially designed by IGNOU for the north-eastern region, is a joint initiative of MHRD, Sarba Shiksha Abhijan and IGNOU to enhance the professional competency of teachers and clear the backlog of untrained primary teachers in the region.A total of 4000 teachers were deputed by Sarba Shiksha Abhijan (Assam) for the training for the academic year 2007-2008.
The All Assam Students Union has called it a warning call for the people power when the Gauhati High delivered a landmark judgment on illegal Bangladeshi migrants.Talking to reporters on Wednesday, AASU leaders said it’s a shameful chapter for both Delhi and Dispur while the court itself virtually hold the State Government and the Centre responsible “the external aggression and internal disturbance brought about by influx from Bangladesh.”The AASU leaders maintained that going by the recent judgment on illegal migrants, it has been established that what thy have been doing over the years are right against the illegal Bangladeshi migrants and government inaction to identify...
The pre poll alliance between BJP and Asom Gana Parishad mires in uncertainty. Sources in BJP say Assam BJP unit topguns are in talk with BPPF led by Rabiram Narjary, ASDC and other likeminded parties of the state. A clear cut strategies, of course has yet to be chalked out. The decision came up following the differences between the two parties. BJP is demanding a few seats while the regional party too is reluctant to do so. Notably, AGP frontline leaders met BJP national leaders in Delhi last month.Sources say AGP will have to overcome a few difficulties before clearing the poll strategies. It will have to clear the path for merger of regional parties line AGP(P), Trinamool Gana Paishad...
Koch Rajbongshi Student Union, Koch Rajbongshi Mahila Samiti, Chilarai Sena Goalpara District Samiti blocked the National Highway at Gurufella under Gossaigaon sub-division during the 1000 hour long economic national highway blockade demanding a separate Kamatapur state on 30-07-08. PHOTO: UB PHOTOS
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